![]() ![]() I would not characterize the AHB2 sound as warm or romantic, though it’s not stark or emotionless either. Siau says these qualities are vitally important in delivering high-resolution performance.Īs desired in a studio setting, the sonics from the AHB2 are neutral, and in my home setup, there is no observable emphasis in any particular frequency range. The amp’s designer, John Siau, is quick to mention that the third goal was to achieve a ruler-flat high-frequency response-and the AHB2 is completely flat all the way up to 200 kHz. The Benchmark does a good job of layering vocals and instruments in all dimensions, with each element supported by a solid and convincing image. From the get-go, the amp lives up to its design specs by providing a very clean presentation. When using this setup method, consult the manual to ensure the proper connections and settings.Īmong Benchmark’s design goals for the amp were extremely low distortion and quiet operation. This scenario is very useful if your speakers need some extra juice and you want to provide a dedicated amp for each, or if you want to drive a center-channel speaker in a home-theater setup. The AHB2 features a Class-AB/Class-H design (hence its name), which facilitates bridging a pair of the amps to use as monoblocks, pushing 380 watts into 8 ohms. For those wanting a 12-volt trigger for remote power-up, the AHB2 has you covered. When configured as a stereo amp, the AHB2 pushes out 100 watts into 8 ohms and double that into 4 ohms. Once everything is connected, simply push the power button on the front panel to activate the start-up sequence. As most speakers don’t have an NL4 connection option, Benchmark makes speaker cables with NL4 connectors for the amp side and standard connections for the speaker side. Benchmark says NL4s provide lower resistance and higher current handling than connection via binding posts, as well as a more secure connection. The AHB2 also offers twist-lock NL4 ports for speaker connection. As such, I have to place the amp at the back edge of my audio shelf so the cables can hang below the amp (though I’ve had this same problem with other amps I’ve tested). Because of the amp’s size, its back panel can get crowed, making connections a little tricky-especially with my speaker cables, which have soldered spade connections that don’t bend. Setup is fairly straightforward: Connect a preamp and speakers, ensure the stereo/mono toggle is set to the desired position, and then set the three-position sensitivity switch to match the signal levels from your preamplifier the sensitivity switch also optimizes the amplifier’s gain for controlling volume from your preamplifier. If the rest of you’re system doesn’t offer XLR connections, Benchmark also makes cables and adapters. A couple audio designers have explained to me that balanced XLR connections usually prove superior to single-ended RCAs, since XLRs offer inherent noise canceling and they won’t come loose once clicked into place. Powering the unit off, waiting a few seconds and pressing the power button puts the amp back into operational mode.Īs Benchmark products are used regularly in recording studios, all of the AHB2’s connections are balanced. In the event of an amp overload (which happened once during my testing), the amp shuts itself down and the LEDs indicate the nature of the problem. Each channel has three LEDs to indicate clip, temperature and mute. Other than its tiny power button, the front of the amp has no other controls, just a few LEDs to indicate aspects of operation. A studio version is also available, with a wider front plate to fit equipment racks. ![]() If more power is desired, you can buy a second AHB2 and configure them as monoblocks.īenchmark offers the unit with a black or silver anodized faceplate and black heat-sink fins. But the amp’s size makes it appealing when shelf space is limited or when you simply want to minimize your gear real estate. Regularly lifting amps that leave my back barking for Tylenol, I chuckle with relief when carrying the 12.5-pound AHB2 to my audio rack.Īt about $3,000, the Benchmark AHB2 is a substantial investment, and it certainly demonstrates many musical characteristics one would expect at this price point. And the heat-sink fins account for about a third of that width, making it even more incredible that Benchmark was able to jam so much oomph into such a small body. Even with feet and binding posts, it’s only about 11 inches wide, 4 inches tall and 9 inches deep. The first thing you notice about the new Benchmark AHB2 is its diminutive size. ![]()
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